Acoustic Image Clarus

[yebdox]

Thanks for the confirmation as I mentioned, it didn't really blow my skirt up with either of my nylon string electrics, but I have a certain tone in my head for those and couldn't really get close to that, either. Pat metheny's acoustic tone is wonderful, but hard to cop and I imagine he has that eq'ed to taste with his processors, but Chico Pinheiro, John Scofield, ("Quiet") and Leo Amuedo all have lovely tone that is fairly easy to cop with a good tube amp and higher output speakers.

Michael Biller of island sound music was kind enough to let me demo the Corus, but I think in the process, I helped to rekindle his love of tubes. He and Rick Weber of Vintage Sound amps created a jazz oriented version of a higher powered Deluxe... They modded mine to the same specs and it really is nice, now my main amp and weighing only a few pounds more than a Deluxe.

Clearly, the Corus is intended for another application, but I had hopes of some magical 'mini-twin reverb' I could throw over my shoulder. It is clearly not that, at all.

I have had decent luck with a ZT Club, but it only works for me with a 7 band EQ in the effects loop.... A world of difference, when you can juggle the mids. Much more headroom than Cube 80, and lighter to boot, though a few more dollars. I almost bought an Evans from a friend who liked it a lot better when he heard me play through it and decided to keep it... I only demo amps by playing "Louie, Louie" on 10 now, after that experience

Someday, I'd like to try a henriksen, but in the meantime, I'll just keep lifting weights and practicing good body mechanics.

Thanks for the discussion.

[jorgemg1984]

I would love to hear the Rick mods... I know he changes the tone stack and the bass pot, really curious to hear it! It's a 35w 6l6 Deluxe or a 35w Princeton with the new tone stack?

The mini twi-reverb is the jazzmaster ultralight. Blackface tone stack in a ss class d head and a ultralight 1x12 cab. Try one and you'll change your mind,..

Never tried the Club. The Evans sounds good in clips but it's very expensive and the preamp seems too complex - the Henriksen is different from the AI but it's still a flat amp with a Bass speaker, very far from a Twin. But something like a Barb EQ can turn it into a Blackface for sure

Really, try to find a used jazzmaster ultralight if you like the Blackface sound - although it should sound different from Rich's version, from what I understand his tone stack is quite different from the stock blakcface.

[NSJ]

Two things:

1) The AI is not an electric guitar amp. The center frequencies of the tone controls are not well chosen for that. In fact the mid is pretty far from ideal and the treble is way off above the upper frequency limit of most magnetic pickups (10kHz where something like 3-4kHz would be much more appropiate). The AI is primarily intended for and designed as an amp for acoustic instrumnts. As such it can be considered kind of a PA amp. If used with an electric guitar, a preamp pedal such as a Sansamp Paradriver DI or one of the Sansamp "Character" pedals will help a lot.

2) The speaker system of the Corus is not intended for electric guitars either. The corus is fine as a very portable mini PA system with quite a lot of power. I bought a Corus because it was sold for a very reasonable price, but I was prepared to use the head without the speaker. And sure enough, I quickly ended up with the head, a 10" Redstone speaker and a Sansamp Paradriver DI pedal. That setup works just fine with an electric guitar for jazz. The Corus speaker cabinet rests in my basement.

Some day I'll give the complete Corus combo a chance with a miked acoustic archtop. It should work well as a smal and light general purpose PA type amp.

You are right, it's definitely not an electric guitar amp. But then, AI doesn't market it as such either. After all the name is Acoustic Image.

But what does this mean for solid tone wood archtop with a floating pup (e.g., my old L5 Johnny Smith pickup? ) Does it fit into the "electric" guitar category, as you described it above?

[Jonathan0996]

The AI is not an electric guitar amp.

Actually, Acoustic Image marketed the Corus as a guitar amp from the beginning. I suppose we could quibble about whether it was designed for "electric" guitar, but an amplified guitar is by definition an electric guitar.

We can also argue about whether we like this amp for electric guitar, and I've already expressed my misgivings on the subject. However, it was designed as a guitar amp and a lot of people use and like it for that application.

My view is that, like any amp, it has its sound. Either you like that sound or you don't. Some do and some don't, and that's fair enough. I say let your ears be your guide. Personally, I haven't found the perfect amp yet in terms of sound, absolute versatility, size and weight. I doubt such a thing really exists. You pay your money and you take your choice.

Acoustic Image

[monkmiles]

As far as a mini twin reverb amp, I think a Tech 21 Blonde into the effects loop input of about AI Clarus or Corus would be awesome. The Blonde just has to be setup with the gain and character knobs set low.

[yebdox]

I would love to hear the Rick mods... I know he changes the tone stack and the bass pot, really curious to hear it! It's a 35w 6l6 Deluxe or a 35w Princeton with the new tone stack?

The mini twi-reverb is the jazzmaster ultralight. Blackface tone stack in a ss class d head and a ultralight 1x12 cab. Try one and you'll change your mind,..

Never tried the Club. The Evans sounds good in clips but it's very expensive and the preamp seems too complex - the Henriksen is different from the AI but it's still a flat amp with a Bass speaker, very far from a Twin. But something like a Barb EQ can turn it into a Blackface for sure

Really, try to find a used jazzmaster ultralight if you like the Blackface sound - although it should sound different from Rich's version, from what I understand his tone stack is quite different from the stock blakcface.

Mine started as a VS Deluxe, but when Michael told me about what they were working on, I had Rick upgrade mine, transformers and tone stack, plus a pull bright. Trem circuit is gone, now. Main channel is dark, lower mids, but still very clear. Both channels have reverb and channel one has BF treble and bass, maybe a bit more tweedy, nice alternative. I didn't like it with the weber Cali that Rick prefers, but he will put anything in it for you. Great guy, great amps and no one is as knowledgeable about the range of amps for jazz players as Michael Biller.

Will keep my eye out for a jazz master, but there's something missing about ss amps that just makes me feel like I'm playing with my shoes or pants on backwards; I'm safe with it in public, but can't concentrate on having fun with the music, because it doesn't fit. But, it's important not to ignore your ears

[oldane]

As far as a mini twin reverb amp, I think a Tech 21 Blonde into the effects loop input of about AI Clarus or Corus would be awesome. The Blonde just has to be setup with the gain and character knobs set low.

Or just plug it into the normal input, set the three tone controls of the AI head at 12 o'clock and shape the tone on the blonde. That way you can use the reverb and low cut filter. The Blonde works great with an AI head.

[monkmiles]

I too prefer tube amps and have a 2x10 '71 Fender Bandmaster that sounds great now that I got its power tubes replaced. But I also like the tone of the AI and Henriksen amps for jazz only purposes. If I can only have one, it'd be a Fender tube amp. But I like having both. I've owned at different times a Henriksen, Jazzmaster Ultralight, Roland Cubes, and now a Clarus.

Ill tell you though, I played my Clarus with Raezers Edge Stealth 10 with an organist the other day and I LOVED the tone. Part of it is my new Eastman ar403 too though. I don't have reverb on my Clarus so I am using a Boss/Fender FRV-1 pedal in the loop.

[Jonathan0996]

...there's something missing about ss amps that just makes me feel like I'm playing with my shoes or pants on backwards; I'm safe with it in public, but can't concentrate on having fun with the music, because it doesn't fit. But, it's important not to ignore your ears

Gotta agree with that. If tube amps are your thing, no solid state amp and no amount of modeling or fancy processing is going to really satisfy you. However, there are some great modelers, like an Axe-FX, that come very close if you're willing to pay the price.

Still, it's hard for me to imagine you finding a solid state rig that's easy to set up and manage that you'll like as well as your Allen Old Flame. If that's the sound that speaks to you, I wouldn't waste my time messing around with solid state anything.

It's amazing how we often find something that sounds great and is really satisfying to use, and six months later we're looking for new gear anyway. I think the trick is finding the gear that helps you get your sound and then turning your attention to the music. Instead we find a very nice amp (there is no perfect amp) and in a few months we tell ourselves, "if could just get that sound in an amp that's 20 percent smaller and ten pounds lighter."

I can't say I'm not guilty of that sort of thing, but it's such a waste of one's creative energy. I think if you work diligently on being a great player, great sound will come to you. The endless gear churn is a never ending, no-win proposition.

[oldane]

Actually, Acoustic Image marketed the Corus as a guitar amp from the beginning. I suppose we could quibble about whether it was designed for "electric" guitar, but an amplified guitar is by definition an electric guitar.

We can also argue about whether we like this amp for electric guitar, and I've already expressed my misgivings on the subject. However, it was designed as a guitar amp and a lot of people use and like it for that application.

My view is that, like any amp, it has its sound. Either you like that sound or you don't. Some do and some don't, and that's fair enough. I say let your ears be your guide. Personally, I haven't found the perfect amp yet in terms of sound, absolute versatility, size and weight. I doubt such a thing really exists. You pay your money and you take your choice.

I agree with you that an actual trial of the amp is what should give the final answer to whether one likes it or not.

As for "electric guitar", I understand it as an guitar with a magnetic pickup. In other posts I have used the term "magnetic pickup".

My main gripe with the AI when used for magnetic PUs "as is" is the center frequencies of the tone controls: Bass 60Hz, Mid 650Hz, Treble 10kHz. The bass is too low to do too much, the mid could well be higher (most people prefer around 800 - 1400Hz), and the treble is above the normal top frequencies of a magnetic pickup and makes almost no difference. Personally, I'd prefer the center frequencies to be: Bass 100-150, mid 1000-1200Hz and treble 3000-3500Hz.

Like I wrote, the AI head works well with preamp pedals (for example the Sansamp Paradriver DI or the Sansamp Blonde. Jorge likes the BarbEQ) for tone shaping, but I can agree that the AI amp head is thus reduced to a mere glorified (and expensive) power amp. However, if you can also use the AI for other applications (amplification of acoustic instruments or vocals for example), such a setup is a flexible and convenient module solution.

[monkmiles]

One thing to note about the Clarus 1 and 1R is that you can find them inexpensive on the used market. I see the 1 used for $250-$325 pretty regularly. I found mine locally for $250 which led me to try it.

[Jonathan0996]

My main gripe with the AI when used for magnetic PUs "as is" is the center frequencies of the tone controls: Bass 60Hz, Mid 650Hz, Treble 10kHz. The bass is too low to do too much, the mid could well be higher (most people prefer around 800 - 1400Hz), and the treble is above the normal top frequencies of a magnetic pickup and makes almost no difference. Personally, I'd prefer the center frequencies to be: Bass 100-150, mid 1000-1200Hz and treble 3000-3500Hz.

I share your main gripe, and even though I own a Corus, I'm not shilling for AI. If I had it to do over again, I would have spent a little more and gotten a Clarus with a different cabinet. I think that gives you more tonal options.

With regard to the EQ, I agree that it's peculiar. The bass and midrange at pretty low frequencies, but what makes it most problematic for electric guitar is the treble control. I think what makes it a useful amp for a lot of players is that it gets a very good, clean, dark jazz tone with the EQ flat or close to flat and doesn't need a lot of tone shaping to get what many consider to be a good sound. Certainly no amp is perfect for all players in all situations and AI has its weaknesses, particularly if you like a brighter tube-type sound. If you like the Clarus sound flat, which many do, it can be a very useful amp.

[monkmiles]

Well said, Jonathan0996...and I agree. The flat, dark clear tone is the same reason some people like Henriksen amps as well.

[Jazz_175]

I own a Henriksen JazzAmp, never heard and never seen an AI amp, however I think they both sound kind of dull and lifeless if you plug in an electric (solid body) guitar.
Well... that's a kind of pessimistic judgement.
I have to try again with my Tele into the Henriksen

[monkmiles]

I own a Henriksen JazzAmp, never heard and never seen an AI amp, however I think they both sound kind of dull and lifeless if you plug in an electric (solid body) guitar.
Well... that's a kind of pessimistic judgement.
I have to try again with my Tele into the Henriksen

I agree. I like hollowbody and semi hollowbody guitars through them, but definitely not solidbody guitars...unless there's a preamp like the tech 21 blonde. I think it comes down to whether you like the acoustic tone of the particular guitar...if you like it, you should like the AI or Henriksen because it's trying to amplify that tone with minimal coloring.

[Jazz_175]

I agree. I like hollowbody and semi hollowbody guitars through them, but definitely not somebody guitars...unless there's a preamp like the tech 21 blonde.

Did you try it with Henriksen or AI or similar amp?

[monkmiles]

Did you try it with Henriksen or AI or similar amp?

Typo. I meant solidbody guitars. Not somebody guitars. I fixed that in my post.

Are you asking about the solidbody guitar or the tech 21 blonde? Anyways, I have tried both with a Henriksen 110 and a AI Clarus 1.

[Jazz_175]

I meant Tech 21 blonde.
I visited the website to have a look at the blonde.
I was just wondering how much the Henriksen would change with that pedal in front. I don't expect much, at least for the 12" I 've got.
Maybe the 10" is slightly different.

[monkmiles]

I meant Tech 21 blonde.
I visited the website to have a look at the blonde.
I was just wondering how much the Henriksen would change with that pedal in front. I don't expect much, at least for the 12" I 've got.
Maybe the 10" is slightly different.

Well, my opinion is a preamp pedal (like the Tech 21 Blonde) can have a great effect into a PA or a somewhat flat amp (like a Henriksen or AI). Whether or not it's a sound you like is a matter of personal opinion of course. But I like how the Blonde sounds for clean tones with both the gain and character knobs down low (it can get a lot more gain/crunch than you'd expect if you have these knobs too high).

[ArchieTop]

I don't log on here all that much. Maybe three or four times a year. I saw this post and enjoyed everybody's comments.

I play out a bit and for the last several years my gigging amp is an AI Clarus2R with a RE Twin-8 cabinet. It gives me the sound I like when coupled with any of the Gibson archtops I might use. I like the low weight of the amp and speaker and, when I'm in the studio or on a big stage, it has a real nice XLR-out to feed the board. At home I just plug into an old Polytone Mini-Brute II. That's nice, too.

However, I must say that this old dyed-in-the-wool, 60-year-old Gibson player made a significant change yesterday. I actually got a Collings Eastside that I found used. It should arrive next week.

I can hear all my archtops (maybe about 30) screaming in protest now.

[Chazmo]

I use a Corus--the combo version. It is probably the most transparent amp I have ever heard. It fits my minimalist approach, which is to use the best sounding guitar I can and just amplify that sound. I don't expect or want an amp to color my sound and I don't use any boxes. I do not desire any "edgy" distortion.

The Corus covers a lot of ground for me:
--Small and lightweight;
--Good for archtop or flattop;
--Can plug a mic in for vocals;
--Plenty powerful
--XLR line out to go to the house board if more volume required

Originally, I thought it sounded great with my flattop acoustics but I didn't think it sounded that good with my archtop--an Epiphone Elitist Broadway. It sounded thin on the high E string. "Thin" is not a word usually associated with this guitar. It is fat and creamy smooth sounding in most amps. I played around with the Notch button and for some reason it sounds great if I notch it in the low frequency area. It doesn't cut out too much bottom end and the top end fattens right up. My theory is the top of the guitar is out of phase with the amp and somehow notching it at the right low frequency puts it back in phase.

Contrary to the directions from AI, it sounds best if the gain is up about halfway, at the 12 o'clock position, and the overall volume can be controlled by the master. The master is usually about 1/4 of the way up, or at the 9 o'clock position, for my purposes. This gives me a thick sound without distortion.

Once I figured this stuff out, I sold my big, heavy tube amp and just use the AI.

[SierraTango]

I've been a happy camper for several years using my Schertler Unico and Baggs Para EQ with a number of instruments-inculding a 7 string Eastman 805 (floating pickup), a Gitane with the Shertler BASIK pickup. However most gigs have been with a Pisano 880 or Guild AA. Yes, I found the magnetic pick-up sound somewhat lacking hence the preamp for more EQ options and fatter signal to the "stat" channel. I also run a Roland Micro Cube as a bit of reinforcement when needed. This has been a workhorse rig for me-never a glitch, very compact, I can run a mike thru if needed. However the most important issue-I constantly receive complements on my sound from other musicians and end up answering the constant questions about my setup.
Just like most on this forum I am always looking for the ultimate rig and a few weeks ago had a opportunity to play a '96 Benedetto Manhattan thru a Clarus. The speaker cab was a Mesa 2x12 and of course the tone was stellar. But who wants to carry that around?
Cut to last week, a friend loaned me his Clarus and RE NY 8 cab. A/B in my music room and blind tested with a couple students. Then the acid test-both rigs at the gig to a packed house last Friday with my duo-Trumpet/Flugel and my Guild AA the whole night.
I was willing to spend the money if there was a quantam leap, however the AI rig just didn't offer any great improvement. Yes, no doubt more headroom (400W vs. 200W). So I was lucky-I'll just stay with my current rig and be happy.

[monkmiles]

Nice to see this thread come back to life some.

I have been using (since shortly after I started this thread) and loving a Clarus 1 Series II (with a reverb pedal through the effects loop) into a Raezers Edge Stealth 10 (1x10). The tone is clear, fat, and clean. I haven't been gigging or playing as much as I'd like (my 3 year old and a baby due next month prevent that) but the organist I have been jamming with and have played with for a few years says this is yielding the best jazz tones I've had...and I agree. With my Eastman AR403, it's perfect for getting some Joe Pass and Jim Hall type tones.

On the other hand, I still have a Fender tube amp as an alternative but have been mainly using for rock playing these days. But it's nice to have both the AI and Fender options.

[DanH8482]

Hi Everyone,

I have a question regarding the use of the AI Clarus head for purposes other than jazz. I occasionally play in pit orchestras where I need many different sounds available to me and need to fit in a sometimes comically small amount of space. I have a Fender Jazzmaster Ultralight which fits the bill for size and power and sound quality, but the lack of effects loop means I cannot use my POD to its fullest potential. I believe either of these amps to be great for me as far as straight ahead clean sounds, but my question is, does the AI handle other styles well, especially with modeling processors through the effects loop, or overdrive pedals in the front end?

Thanks for any and all help!

[Greentone]

For pits I used to use a Polytone MB III or a JMF Spectra Bass amp. Both amps were technically intended for bass. Both were small combos with some power. Each had an effects loop. Each was sort of a neutral sounding amp--the Spectra moreso than the Polytone. I could play guitar or bass, and I could run an effects pedal--Digi-Tech RP something or other--into the amp.

So, the Clarus may be the modern equivalent way to go--even more powerful and even more compact. A good, neutral package.